1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading device for reading an image and sending image data to an externally connected host computer or the like, and an image processing method utilizing such device.
2. Related Background Art
The conventional image reading device (image scanner) for sending the read image to the computer is usually connected to a single computer and operates according instructions therefrom. Also the image reading device itself is positioned close to the computer. This is because the SCSI (small computer system interface) usually employed for connecting the computer and the image reading device cannot utilize a very long cable, and also because cumbersome operations are required, such as visiting the both plural times, if they are physically distant, as the original document has to be set on the image reading device while the operation thereof has to be made on the computer.
Such conventional configuration is extremely inconvenient in case plural users wish to use the computer connected to the image reading device. The image reading cannot be executed if the computer is used for another job, and the computer cannot be used for other jobs if the priority is given to the image reading. As a result, the computer becomes inevitably assigned exclusively to the image reading device, and it is therefore difficult for the plural users to simultaneously use the computer connected to such image reading device. Also additional works are required for transferring the image, taken into such computer, to other computers belonging to such users.
It is also conceivable to connect the image reading device and the computer by means of a network such as Ethernet, and such configuration allows to effect the image reading operation by the computer connected to the network or another available computer. On the other hand, the significantly large physical distance between the two, resulting from such network connection, results in another inconvenience. As an example, in case of using an image reading device, located on the fifth floor of a building, from a computer located on the second floor, it is quite difficult to smoothly and promptly effect the setting of the original document on the image reading device and the operation on the computer. More specifically there are required cumbersome operations of at first setting the original on the image reading device on the fifth floor, then operating the computer on the second floor, and returning to the fifth floor for fetching the original after image reading.
Such drawback becomes more serious in case the image reading device is realized as an additional function of a copying apparatus. For example, in case such device is frequently used for local document copying in the copying apparatus, if the original is left unremoved for a long time, there may be hindered the user of the apparatus for copying during such time or the original may be undesirably removed by another person utilizing the copying apparatus.
In this manner, the conventional image reading device, not designed in consideration of the operation characteristics in case of effecting the image reading operation and the image data output operation etc. respectively in physically distant locations, requires cumbersome operations when the image reading device is connected with the computer through the network.
Also the functions of the image reading device cannot be fully exploited by the external computer or by the image reading device itself, since the convenience of use of other additional functions such as the copying function has not been considered.